The Ambassador

THE AMBASSADOR

by Emir Kıvırcık

Published by TIMAS PUBLISHING at Smashwords

Copyright © 2011 by TIMAS PUBLISHING

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

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CONTENTS

MRS. BLUM’S VISIT

THE MEMOIRS

1939 ANKARA - PARIS

THE JEWS IN FRANCE

THE FIRST JEW TO LEAVE

DEATH’S APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS

VICHY 1940-41

LAZARE ROUSSO

I JUST WANT TO INFORM YOU

THE NEW LAWS

VICHY 1942

RETALIATION

LAVAL IN VICHY

CHOICES TO MAKE

FRANCE UNDER OCCUPATION

THE BIG PLAN

THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE

CODE OF REVENGE

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CONSULATES

LIFE & DEATH DIPLOMACY

THE AMBASSADOR RECALLED

I am indebted to his Excellency Abdullah Gül, President of the Turkish Republic, who was instrumental in helping me gain access to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs archives.

I am also indebted to his Excellency Shimon Peres, President of Israel, for his encouragement written to me on April 2, 2008. In that letter he wrote, I hope you will be heard by many.

Author’s Note

This biographical novel is based on archival material most of which has been reproduced in a number of papers published in highly refereed academic journals and in three highly documented and widely reviewed history books. However, in writing this book I have used the texture and devices of many classic novels which told a true story. Yet, I, have attempted to avoid fiction as fiction will debase the record, and the readers’ ability to distinguish between reality and the myth. While all of the characters in this book are real, I have taken dramatic liberties and literary license in cases where the actual dialog has not been made part of recorded history. For source materials the reader may wish to refer to Professor Stanford Shaw’s 1993 book Turkey and the Holocaust and/or Professor Arnold Reisman’s SHOAH: Turkey, the US, and the UK published in 2009 or better yet An Ambassador and A Mensch: The story of a Turkish Diplomat in Vichy France published in 2010.

This book is in memory of an illustrious General, a Parliamentarian, a Minister and an Ambassador who saved many lives during the Holocaust, Behic Erkin - my maternal Grandfather.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to thank all those who selflessly committed their time and efforts to the production of this book. Among them are historian Cemal Kutay, historian Prof. Stanford Shaw, historian Harry Ojalvo, historian Prof. Temucin Ertan, Ambassador Osman Korutürk, Ambassador Necdet Kent, Ambassador Namık Kemal Yolga, Ambassador Oğuz Gökmen, and Ambassador Tansuğ Bleda.

I also want to thank my wife, my son, my daughter, and my brother, all of whom gave me their full support in this task which required them to be immensely patient with me.

I am especially grateful to Yechiel Bar-Chaim for his great support and making sacrifices from his time, which is immensely precious.

Dear Dr. Alfred Bader, without you my dream would have never become a reality. Words fail me in showing my gratitude.

Last but not least, I am infinitely grateful to my dear mother, Neyran Erkin, the guiding light in helping me write this book.

MRS. BLUM’S VISIT

On September 21, 1942, Sedat Zeki, Undersecretary at the Turkish Embassy in Vichy, France, informed Behiç Erkin the Ambassador that a very intriguing visitor wants to see him.

Mrs. Renée Blum, daughter -in-law of Leon Blum, the former French Prime Minister was urgently seeking a meeting with the Ambassador.

Standing by the window, his hands clasped behind him, the Ambassador was fidgeting with his prayer beads. The decision to meet with Mrs. Blum would have been difficult for most people as Leon Blum was locked up in jail.

Blum’s trial had been stopped by the Germans the previous April because the eloquent,

70 year-old politician had exposed the treason charges against him for what they were -a ridiculous farce. Erkin knew it would be uncomfortable for his country to get involved with the internationally known Jewish socialist but without a moment of hesitation he ordered, Well, just don’t stand there, Zeki; show the woman in.

Looking at Zeki as the man left the room he mused, A fifty year old undersecretary never becomes an ambassador if he fears making decisions.

Moments later Mrs. Blum, an attractive woman in her late 30s, entered the office. Dressed in black as if she were attending a funeral she thanked the Ambassador for meeting with her without an appointment. Despite her attempt to keep her composure, she was quite distressed and obviously needed to discuss something important.

Assuming she had come to ask for help for her father-in-law whose situation was quite desperate in the hands of the Vichy French government, Erkin allowed her a few moments to gather her thoughts and catch her breath. He had met Leon Blum only once, shortly after his arrival in Paris in September 1939 when he was installed as the new Turkish ambassador.

What I’m about to tell you may seem a bit strange, but my father-in-law said that you were the only person who could help because of your positive relationship with the Germans and because you respect and support your Jewish citizens.

"I’m afraid, Madame, that what your father-in-law believes isn’t exactly correct. As far as the current French government or the Germans in Vichy are concerned, we don’t have ‘relationships’ nor are we here to establish friendships; we’re here to carry out the responsibilities assigned to us. Perhaps the fact that my embassy operates smoothly gave the wrong impression.

As far as our Jewish citizens are concerned, you must realize that I’m from a country which has never been enslaved. Consequently I have trouble understanding how the leaders of France could meekly allow their country to be enslaved by an enemy and do that enemy’s bidding without much of a fight. In fact, these French officials often out-German the Germans in their treatment of French Jewish citizens. At this moment, we at the Turkish Embassy are protecting the rights of our citizens who live here whether they are Muslim, Christian, or Jewish."

Mrs. Blum, who had been listening with rapt attention, looked down at her hands, collected her thoughts, and took a deep breath.

The reason why I am here, Mr. Ambassador, has nothing to do with my father in law’s situation; that is, I’m here because of my husband. What is happening to my husband is causing my father-in-law even more stress than he already has.

Trying to jog his memory for the bits and pieces he had heard about the Blum family, Erkin recalled that Leon Blum’s only son was a prisoner of war.

My husband and the men captured with him are being tortured and held in isolation in a POW camp in Germany. My father-in-law fears that his son is being treated this way simply because his name is Blum….and that his fellow officers are suffering because they are with him.

Now Erkin remembered. The camp she was talking about, Camp Oflag Xc, was one of the many camps built to house officers only. This particular camp was in Lubeck and held other French VIP notables such as historian Fernand Braudel (1902-1985) and brothers Elie (1917-2007) and Alain (1910-1982)de Rothschild, sons of Robert de Rotchschild (1880-1946).

My father in law suggested I come here, explain the situation, and ask for your help.

Answering slowly, carefully, and considering each word Erkin replied, Unfortunately, I’m not convinced my involvement would be beneficial nor have the political influence that you obviously desire. But dry your eyes and allow me to finish.

Leaning forward to emphasize his words and looking directly into Madame Blum’s eyes, Erkin explained his precarious position and his idea.

During the process of protecting the rights of thousands of our citizens, it is imperative that we consider every detail with extreme caution so we don’t ruin the delicate balance in our sensitive relations with the French and German authorities. We don’t have the luxury of making a wrong move in an environment where just one misstep can cost the lives of many people. At this stage, considering our involvement in other matters, it would be inappropriate for the ambassador of a neutral country to help the POW son of the former French Prime Minister who is imprisoned on charges of treason. Having said that, there is something I can suggest. Visit your father-in-law as soon as possible and ask him to write a letter explaining the matter and address it to the Esteemed President of Turkey, İsmet İnönü. Bring that letter to me. I’ll add a cover letter and make sure it reaches President İnönü. It might be better to try and solve this from Turkey, not here.

And what if your president refuses?

Madame Blum, I didn’t say the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Turkish Prime Minister. I said the President himself. I know him personally which is why I’ll be writing the cover letter.

After Mrs. Blum left, looking a bit more hopeful than when she arrived, Undersecretary Zeki commented about the sad state of affairs in which the great Prime Minister of France was…

The former Prime Minister of France, Erkin reminded him.

It doesn’t matter; he was this country’s Prime Minister. Now he’s asking the Turkish Embassy to help his son who is being tortured in a Nazi prisoner of war camp. Isn’t this situation analogous to the time when King François the First was imprisoned by the Spanish and had to ask Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent to intercede?

Well, history does repeat itself.

The next day, having visited her father- in- law in his jail cell in Bourassol where he had been languishing for two years, Mrs. Blum returned to the Turkish Embassy with a letter which had been scribbled in pencil and signed by the former Prime Minister of France, Leon Blum.

This one page note, addressed to Turkish President İsmet İnönü, requested assistance in saving his son and his son’s compatriots who were held in Camp Oflag Xc .

As promised, Erkin transmitted that letter to Ankara on the same day and not long thereafter a letter was received from the Turkish President. President İnönü stated that he had met with Von Papen, the German Ambassador whereupon Leon Blum’s son and his cohorts were released from isolation and were being treated as ordinary prisoners of war. Blum senior was apprised of the developments via French General Watteau.

Shortly before Leon Blum was transferred to Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany in February of 1943, his daughter-in-law returned to the Turkish Embassy to personally thank Behiç Erkin and give him a pencil written letter¹ from the former French Prime Minister. At first glance it appeared that Blum was expressing his gratitude to President İnönü for saving the life of his son, but he knew that the mastermind behind the operation was Behiç Erkin. Therefore, the letter was addressed to the Ambassador and sent to the Turkish Embassy.

Bourassol, 22 February

Mr. Ambassador,

I ask you to accept my most cordial thanks for the care you took in seeing to it that I learned the good news from President İnönü. But I ask you as well --- permit me to say to you, I beg of you especially --- to transmit to President İsmet İnönü the expression of my profound gratitude. I owe him the most comfort and relief that can be offered me in the present conditions of my personal life. What adds further to my satisfaction is that his friendly intervention did not only benefit my son, but also all his fellow camp prisoners with whom he will from now on share his fate.

Please accept what I ask of you, Mr. Ambassador; I give the assurance of my respectful and warm appreciation.

THE MEMOIRS

When I was 16 years old my mother, Neyran Erkin, sat me down and began to relate stories about my grandfather’s brother, Behiç. I already knew about his role at Gallipoli in the First World War, his part in the Turkish War of Liberation, and all the medals he had won. Like many teenage boys only interested in sports, I found these stories rather dull and boring and wanting to be excused, made no secret of that fact. Upset and disappointed, Mom never spoke to me about Behic Erkin again.

Sixteen years later as a young businessman with weighty issues on my mind I arranged to meet a friend for lunch; but when I arrived he was still in a meeting which would continue for another hour. This friend worked for Profilo, a large company owned by Jak Kamhi, a prominent Jewish businessman. Standing there trying to decide how to kill an hour, I noticed on the directory that there was a museum in the basement so I went downstairs. It was possible that I could learn something.

The elevator doors opened and I was greeted by an elderly man who was surprised that I knew about this museum. Explaining that my friend worked in the building and I was not there by accident, he offered to show me around. He turned the lights on and introduced himself as Harry Ojalvo, the museum director..

Mr. Ojalvo began our tour by explaining that this Museum of the Quincentennial Foundation founded by Jak Kamhi, was all about Turkish Jews. Well, I was killing time and not really all that keen on the subject until I noticed a sign with the date 1492. Curious, I inquired about its significance and Harry told me about the Alhambra Decree (also known as the Edict of Expulsion), which ordered the expulsion of all Jews from the Kingdom of Spain, including its territories and possessions, by July 31, 1492. That decree had been issued on March 31 of that year by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella the First and Ferdinand the Second. The Jews who chose to remain either converted to Christianity or were executed. Harry explained that many who did leave were murdered by pirates "until the Ottoman Sultan Beyazid the Second sent a fleet